“The Real MVP: The Wanda Durant Story” is a film that is all about family. Wanda raising her sons Kevin and Tony as a single mother but instilling a positive life in order to make sure they do well as children, teenagers and later as adults. But also, Wanda finding life after her children leave home. I found “The Real MVP: The Wanda Durant Story” to be inspirational and entertaining and I definitely recommend this film!
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DVD TITLE: The Real MVP: The Wanda Durant Story
YEAR OF FILM: 2016
DURATION: 86 Minutes
DVD INFORMATION: 1:78:1 Widescreen, English 5.1 Dolby Digital Audio, Subtitles: English SDH
COMPANY: Lionsgate
RATED: Not Rated
AVAILABLE ON: September 20, 2016
Directed by Nelson George
Written by Yolanda Lawrence, Ligiah Villalobos
Produced by Jamie Goehring
Co-Producer: Chuck West
Executive Produced by Shakim Compere, Wanda Pratt, Queen Latifah, Shelby Stone
Co-Executive Producer: Brynee Baylor, Gina Ford
Cinematography by Ron Stannett
Edited by Lisa Robison
Production Design by Brian Davie
Art Direction by Eli Best
Costume Design by Cynthia Ann Summers
Starring:
Cassandra Freeman as Wanda Durant
Eli Baxter as Teen Kevin Durant
Daniel Bellomy as Kevin Durant
Demarius Mack as Teen Tony Durant
Tracie Thoms as Demetria
Pauletta Washington as Barbara
Nathan Mitchell as Reggie
Peter Bryant as David
Deejay Jackson as Clive
The Real MVP: The Wanda Durant Story is an inspiring true story about the mother of NBA superstar Kevin Durant. A single mother who worked tirelessly to raise two sons, Wanda focused her energy on keeping her boys out of trouble and on the basketball court. Kevin’s NBA Most Valuable Player speech was dedicated to Wanda, naming her “the real MVP.â€
NBA star Kevin Durant has garnered a lot of attention for his MVP athletic prowess on the court as a member of the Seattle Supersonics, and after the team’s move to Oklahoma and dominating as a member of Oklahoma City Thunder (and now former, having moved to the Golden State Warriors in 2016).
But with all the success that Kevin Durant has received as a basketball player, he has been grounded as a family man and has always given praise to his family, especially his mother Wanda Durant, who he had called “The Real MVP”.
And the story of Wanda Durant was featured in the Lifetime film “The Real MVP: The Wanda Durant Story” directed by Nelson George (who had produced “CB4”, “Life Support”, “Top Five”) and a story written by Yolonda Lawrence (who had produced “Star-Crossed”, “Shark”, “The Good Wife”) and Ligiah Villalobos (“”Ed”, “Under the Same Moon”, “Firelight”).
The film stars Cassandra Freeman (“Inside Man”, “Kinyarwanda”, “Blue Caprice”), Tracie Thoms (“The Devil Wears Prada”, “Death Proof”, “Grindhouse”, “Looper”), Pauletta Washington (“Beloved”, “The Watsons Go to Birmingham”, “Wilma”), Eli Baxter, Daniel Bellomy, Demarius Mack and more.
The film revolves around Wanda Durant (portrayed by Cassandra Freeman), single mother of two children who had to raise her children after her husband, Wayne, walks out on the family. While the family lived with Wanda’s mother, Barbara, Barbara wanted her daughter to take control of her life and have her own home in Washington, D.C.
Struggling to survive, she worked at the United States Postal Service and as a hairstylist and tried to keep her young sons Kevin and Tony busy with basketball and have them focused on school. So, she enrolls the kids to play for the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU), under the tutelage of Coach Charles Craig.
And as Kevin continued to excel in basketball, it would also become expensive for Wanda as for Kevin to succeed, he would have to go to better schools and colleges would come scouting.
But life want not easy for Wanda. The strain of trying to keep the family afloat, the challenge of trying to make sure her children find success and attend schools to make them succeed, the challenges with having some relationship with her ex-husband Wayne, but also the struggle of her children succeeding and leaving home.
But also sacrificing so much for her family and after her children has left home, now starting over with her life once again and moving on. But also having dreams of possibly going to college and the choices that Kevin Durant would make of staying one season for the Texas Longhorns and deciding to be eligible for the 2007 NBA draft.
“The Real MVP: The Wanda Durant Story” is a wonderful telefilm about Wanda Durant and the struggles and challenges she faced as a mother and raising two children. Her son, Kevin, who would later become one of the top players of the NBA and her son Tony, who would graduate from college.
But also life of Wanda Durant after her children home and finally getting the opportunity to focus on her own life and dreams.
VIDEO & AUDIO:
“The Real MVP: The Wanda Durant Story” is presented in 1:78:1 Widescreen and English 5.1 Dolby Digital. Picture quality is good, as one can expect on DVD and with most of the film shot outdoors, picture quality is good. Dialogue and music is clear and understandable.
Subtitles are in English SDH.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
“The Real MVP: The Wanda Durant Story” features no special features.
When it comes to Kevin Durant, I have been familiar of the NBA star through basketball but also his dedication to his faith.
I really didn’t know anything about his family life or upbringing, so watching the Lifetime film “The Real MVP: The Wanda Durant Story”, it’s an amazing tale of how a struggling single mother of two managed to sacrifice her life in working hard and doing whatever was necessary to keep her sons in basketball and have them focused with their schoolwork.
Not having much time for a social life, Wanda had no doubt put aside her dreams and goals in order to make sure her sons, Kevin and Tony, would go on to find success in life.
But also her relationship with her mother Barbara, her best friend Demetria and her rocky relationship with the children’s father, Wayne.
The film also touches upon the mentoring that Kevin and Tony received from their AAU coach, Charles Craig (the inspiration of why Kevin Durant wears the #35 because Charles Craig was murdered at the age of 35).
As for the DVD release, picture and audio quality is good and unfortunately, there are no special features. But you do get a Digital Ultraviolet code!
Overall, “The Real MVP: The Wanda Durant Story” is a film that is all about family. Wanda raising her sons Kevin and Tony as a single mother but instilling a positive life in order to make sure they do well as children, teenagers and later as adults. But also, Wanda finding life after her children leave home.
I found “The Real MVP: The Wanda Durant Story” to be inspirational and entertaining and I definitely recommend this film!
